but i've known hagel for years. it just so happened i wrote about a discussion i had had about the efforts which sometimes look dicey to repeal don't ask, don't tell two years ago with senator hagel and i wrote about it. before the current controversy, i wrote about hagel's support of repeal of don't ask, don't tell. he and i had a long discussion about how how appalled that there were gay translators being purged out of our intelligence agencies because they were gay at that time. people like mike mullen were trying to be close leaders, a close friend of chuck hagel. at that very delicate time, hagel told me he was firmly supportive. since then, just this last week, hagel's met with 24 u.s. senators so far, meeting with more this next week. in that, he's basically said he strongly supports lgbt families and strongly supports the ongoing alignment and repeal of all the residue of don't ask, don't tell. he's gone beyond that because i think there have been questions raced about his views on abortionen an women. and h